Wire stranding device



Oct. 11, 1949. o. L. GIFFIN WIRE STRANDING DEVICE Sho'ts-Sheot FiledFeb. 6, 1947 XIII nu 74 fzo 'cj'rz.

gv. m 4MM Oct. l1, 1949. o, L, GlFFlN 2,484,282

WIRE: STRNDING DEVICE Filed Feb. e, 1947 s sheets-sheet 2 IIIIIIIII'IIIIIIII Oct. 11, 1949. Q. GIFFIN 2,484,282

' WIRE STRANDING DEVICE Filed Fb. 6. 1947 s sheets-sheet s Patented Oct.l1, 19,49

WIRE STBANDING DEVICE lOtho L. Giin, Worcester, Mass. applicationvFebruary s, 1947, sensi No. 120,915

s claims. l

The present invention relates to strand twisting apparatus and moreparticularly to an apparatus for twisting strands together to 4form acomposite group.

More specifically. the present invention relates to apparatus which isadapted to draw wire strands from a suitable package about which thestrands have been laid together in parallel relation and then to lay thestrands in helical fashion one about the other or the plurality about acore strand. Furthermore, such apparatus may be adapted for drawing aplurality of wire strands from each of a plurality of such packages andsimultaneously twisting these strands from each package into separatecables and thereafter twisting these separate cables together to form aunitary cable, all in one continuous operation.

Although the above noted type of wire stranding apparatus is broadlyold, such apparatus in the past has not been successfully used for sostranding all types of wire and particularly wires having smalldiameters. It has been found that the prior types of wire strandingapparatus were unsuccessful in handling such wire for the reason that nomeans were provided onA the apparatus which would deliver the wirestrands from the provide an improved apparatus for twisting a pluralityof Wire strands into a unitary cable While maintaining thev tensionsWithin the wire strands substantially the same. With the above and otherobjects in view as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises thedevices, combinations land arrangements of parts hereinafter set forthand illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodimentof the invention from which the several features of the invention andthe advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by thosesinnedv Fig. 4 represents a stud element used in the l device disclosedin Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 represents a top plan view of a second 15 form of cap unit.

Figp represents a fragmentary side view of the cap unit disclosed inFig. 5.

Fig. 7 represents a top plan view' of a third form of cap unit.

the cap unit which is disclosed in Fig. 7. s Fig. 9 represents a frontelevation of a sector disc guide of ythe type used on each of the threevforms of capunits. g5 Fig. l0 represents a side elevation view of theguide element disclosed in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 represents a top plan view of one of the disc elements used inthe cap device disclosed in Figs. 'l and 8.

Fig. 12 represents a side elevation view ,of the disc disclosed in Fig.11.

Fig. 13 represents on an enlarged scale, a vertical sectional view ofthe wire-straightener.- unit disclosed in Fig. l.

Fig. i4 representsa fragmentary side view of a'portion of thewire-straightener device disclosed in Fig. 13.

Fig. l5 represents an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of thewire-straightener disclosed in Fig. 14.

Referring now to the drawings wherein only such portions of theapparatus have been shown which are essentiall to an understanding ofthe invention, and particularly to Fig. l, a portion of the stationaryframe of the apparatus is indcated at i8 and secured thereto within anopening il is a stationary collar I8. This collar i8 may be secured tothe stationary member I6 by means of a plurality of bolts, i9, I9. Ver-50 tically .iournaled within the collar I8, in a suit- Fig. represents afragmentary side view of able manner, is a rotatable flier shaft 28 uponwhich is rigidly carried a collar member 2l having a spider frame 22carried about the periphery thereof. Mounted rigidly upon and about theupper portion of the stationary collar member I8 is a gear 23 which isadapted to mesh with a plurality of idler gears 24, 24 each of which iscarried by a stub shaft 24"which is in turn rotatably journaled withinthe spider member 22. Meshing with each one of the idler gears 24, 24 isa spindle-driving gear 25 carried by the lower portion of each of aplurality of spindle shafts 26, 26 which are suitably journaled withinthe periphera l portion of the spider 22. j

Still referring -to Fig; 1, each of the spindles 26, 26 is formedintermediate its ends with a cylindrical collar portion 21 to which isrigidly mounted thereon a wire-containing package in l the form of aspool 29 having the usual wireconning discs 30 and 3I. It is to beunderstood that each of the spools 29, 29 is formed with a longitudinalbore 32 therein sothat each spool may be'mounted directly upon arespective one of the spindles 26, 26 with the spindle-disc 28supporting the spool disc 30.

i It will be readily apparent'that any number of spools may be carriedupon .the flier spider 26 and that any number of strands may be woundabout each of the -spools 29, 2-9, but in Fig. 1, by way of example,there are illustrated two spools each of which has two wire strands 33,33 wound thereon. Also it .is to be understoodthat each spool 29, 29will have mounted thereon a corresponding number of strand guides 34, 34to the number of parallel strands which are on the supply package. Theguides 34, 34 are carried by caps 35, 35 each of which is frictionally:mounted upon a respective one of the spools 29, 29 and the details ofconstruction of these caps will be hereinafter described.

twists from the wire strands after the strands leave the sheaves 44, 44and before being delivered to the remaining portions of the stranclingapparatus. This straightener 45 includes a collar 46 which is adjustablymounted upon the shaft 20 by means of a set screw 41, and thus the unitmay be shifted vertically along the shaft 20 thereby to position thesaine n any desired location. More specifically, this wire-straightenerelement comprises an inverted substantially dished shaped casting andupon and about the peripheral side wall 48 thereof is mounted the usualwirestraightening rollers 49, 49.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 13, 14, and 15 it is to be"understood that. there are a plurality of wire-straightening stationsdisposed about tHe outer portion of the wall 48,' the number of thesestations corresponding to the number of -wire packages provided on thepresent machine.

Referring particularly to Figs. 13, 14, and 15, each one of thesewire-straightening stations comprises a pair of roller-supportingplatforms 50 and 5I the platform 50 being formed in a -substantiallyflat relation with the outer p0rtion of the wall 48 and the platform 5Ibeing disposed upon the Wall 48 and at right angles to the platform 50.Each one of the platforms 50 and 5I has mounted thereon a plurality ofrollers 49, 49 which are distributed in the usual -manner such thatstrands of Wire 52 may be drawn therethrough so that the various rollers1 will function to remove any kinks or snarls occurring in the wire. Thestations 50 'and 5I being I, disposed at right angles to each other itis to be understood that the various rollers 49, 49 Vwhich are carriedon these respective stations 50 and 5I will function to remove allmalformai an aperture 54 provided in its `associated base Mountedintermediate the ends of the flier shaft 20 is a collar 36 which issecured thereto. by means of a set screw 31. Mounted upon the top of thecollar 36 and about the flier shaft 20 is a yoke member 38 which may besecured to the shaft 20 by means of a set screw 39. This yoke member 38has a plurality of arms 40, 40 radiatf ing therefromA and upon theperipheral portion of each of these arms is carried a strand guideelement 4I, 4I having an axial bore 42 disposed therein for receivingand guiding the strands of wire which are delivered thereto from itsassociated wire package or spool 29. Also mounted upon each of the arms40, 40 is a bracket 43 which is adapted to have rotatably mountedthereon an idler sheave 44 over which the wire strands are adapted to betrained. From the foregoing it is to be understood that the yoke member38 may be shifted upwardly along the 'ier shaft 20 whenever it isnecessary to remove or to replace any of the spools 29, 29. In order toso shift the yoke 38 it is merely necessary to loosen the set screw 39and then elevate the yoke to a desired height along the shaft 20. It isalso to be-understood that the collar 36 functions as a stop for theyoke 39 to the end that the yoke may always berelocated in any one of aplurality of predetermined positions along the shaft 20 after the samehas been so elevated.

Mounted upon the shaft 20 and above the yoke 38 is a wire-straightenermember or killer 415 which functions to remove all of thekinks orportion. A snap ring 55 is mounted within a groove 56 provided in thedistal end of the roller 49 thereby to prevent the same from movingendwise Within the aperture 54. Thus, each one of the rollers 49, 49 mayrotate about its longitudinal axisl in response to the movement of theWire 52.

lFrom the various wire-straightening stations the wires are led directlyto wire guides 51, 51 which are provided about the peripheral portion ofa wire-guide head 58 secured to the upper end of the shaft 20 in anysuitable manner such as that its head will rotate in synchronism withthe shaft. Each of the guides 51, 51 is provided with i the. usuallongitudinal bore 59 through which the various wires are directed.Sincevthis head 58 is spaced a substantial distance from the stationaryframe member I6 the present invention contemplates the use of a guidemember 60 which carries a usual type of ball bearing unit 6I whichfunctions as an anti-friction means thereby properly to support the headwithout retarding the movement thereof. Although not disclosed in thepresentdrawings, the member 60 is adapted to be rigidly secured to thebase portionof the machine I6. Thus, the support 60 will prevent anywhip from being introduced into the extreme upper portion of therotatable shaft 20.

After leaving the guide members 51, 51, the various wires are adapted tobe all directed through a guide 62 carried by a stationary bracket 63after which the wires will be trained 4 shaft 65. The other end of shaft65 is connected to a vertically disposed shaft 66 by means ofintermeshing gears 61 and 68. This shaft 66 is in turn connected to adrive shaft 69 by means of intermeshing gears 18 and 1l. An electricmotor 12, or other suitable driving means, is connected to the shaft 69for positively driving the same` to the end that the capstan head 64 isrotated at a constant predetermined speed. The shaft 69 is alsointerconnected with the flier shaft 20 by means of gears 13 and 14. Fromthis it will be understood that in the present apparatus there is adefinite predetermined ratio between the movements oi the shaft 20 andthose of the capstan head 64. g

In the operation of the present apparatus, the ier comprising therotatable shaft 20, the spider 22, and the yoke arms 40, 48 are rotatedby means of the driving motor 12- in a clockwise direction as viewed intop plan. Since the gear 23 remains stationary at all times, the idlergears 24, 24 will not only be rotated about the axis of the shaft 20 butalso each of them will rotate in a clockwise direction about the axis ofits own shaft 24 in a clockwise direction as viewed in top plan to theend that each will ultimately drive its associated spindle gear 25 in acounterclockwise direction about its shaft 26 while at the same time theentire spool assembly will be rotated about" the axis of the shaft 20and in synchronism with said shaft. From this it will be understood thateach of the spools 29, 29 will be rotated about the axis of the shaft 20in a clockwise direction but at the same time each will rotate about theaxis of its associated spindle 26 in a counter-clock- WiSe direction.

As is understood by those skilled in the art, each of the spools 29, 29is rotated about the axis of its spindle shaft 26 in a direction such asto unwind the wire strands 33, 33 from the spool, and the guide members34, 34 being frictionally mounted upon each of the spindles 29, 29 willmove relative to the spool 29 thereby to give up wire from the spoolsand at the same time to lay the strands 33, 33 in helical fashion oneabout the other; it being understood that the differential oi the numberof turns of the spool and the guides will represent the number oi`twists or helical turns put into the strands one about the other. Also,since there is a denite relation beltween the rotation of the capstanhead 64 and the rotation of the spools 29, 29 there will be produced adefinite number of twists or lays of one of these strands about theother. From this it is clear that the wires 33, 33 are twisted one aboutthe other between the wire guides 38, 38 and the sheave or pulley 44.Thereafter, each of the twisted pairs of wires will leave the sheaves 49and be delivered through the wire-straightening devices and to the guidemembers 51, 51. After leaving the guides 51, 51, and before entering thestationary guide 62, the various pairs of twisted wires will be laid oneabout the 'other for the reasonI that the entire flier unit is rotatedabout the axis of the shaft 28. Thus, a unitary ratio of movementbetween the capstan head 64 and the shaft 20. Such adjustments are ,wellknown in the art and further discussion of this phase of the presentapparatus is not necessary.

In order properly to control the strands of wire as the same aredelivered from thc various spools 29, 29 to the remaining portions ofthe apparatus. the present invention contemplates the provision of anovel guide and tensioning device which is adapted to be used inconjunction with each of the spools 29, 29. Referring particularly toFigs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, one form of the present device comprises a studmember 16 the opposite end portions 11 and 18 of which are threaded.Intermediate the end portions of the stud 16 is formed a circular discmember 19 the peripheral portion of which is provided with a pluralityof circumferentially spaced apertures 88, 80. Referring parf ticularlyto Fig. 3, it is to be understood that the stud 16 has its threadedportion 18 received within a threaded aperture 8| provided in the endportion of the spindle 26. By inserting a spanner tool into the variousapertures 80, 88 of the disc 19 the stud may bel tightened within thespindle 26 so `that the disc 19 may function to lock the spool 29 to thespindle shaft 26 and thus these latter two elements will rotate insynchronism.

Mounted upon the disc 19 is a ber friction washer 82 upon which in turnis mounted an apertured disc 83 which is freely rotatable about thecenter portion of the stud 16. There are provided about the periphery ofthe disc 83 a plurality of radially disposed guide arms 84, 84 upon theend portions of each of which is mounted a sector disc guide 34. Each ofthe guide arms 84, 88 is formed as a substantially rigid member andpositioned between these guides are disposed secondary guide arms 85, 85which are also secured to the peripheral portion of the disc 19. Each ofthese secondary guide arms 85, 85 is formed of flexible wire so that thesame may be readily deflected from its normal position. Also provided atthe end portion of each of these secondary guide arms 85, 85 is a sectordisc guide 34% and from Fig. 3 it is to be understood that the free endportion of each of the arms 85, 85

I is bent downwardly so as to guide the Wires 33,

33 about the spool disc 3|. From this it is to be understood that kthearms 84, 84 and 85, 85 are all carried by the disc member 16 thereby toform a, unitary element. Mounted upon the top portion of the disc 83 isa second fiber friction washer 86 upon the top portion of which isdisposed a washer 81 having an aperture 88 which receives the stud 16.Referring particularly to Fig. 2, projecting inwardly from the washer 81is a key 89 which is received within a longitudinal groove 90 formed inthe top portion of the stud 18 thereby to prevent `the washer 81 fromturning about the axis of the stud. A nut 9i and a check nut 92 arethreaded about the upper portion of the stud 16 and between the nut 9iand the disc 81 is disposed a-coil spring 93 which surrounds the middleportion of the stud and functions to bias the disc 83 between the twober friction washers 82 and 86.

From thel above it will be understood that any rotation of the spool 29will tend to` carry the disc 83, with its associated guide arms,therewith, but that relative movement between the spool and the disc 83is permitted. By adjusting the nuts 9| and 92 longitudinally of the stud16 the friction force between the disc 83 and the ber friction washers82 and 86 may be varied to the end that a greater or lesser force willbe required to move the disc 83 relative to the spool 29. The number ofguide arms 84 84 about the periphery of the disc 83 will correspond tothe particular job.

number of strands of wire which are wound about the spool 29. In otherwords, wire-carrying packages or spools such as are used with thedirectly to a grooved sector disc guide 34 carried on one of a secondaryguide arms 85 and from this point the wire is directed about a secondsector disc guide which is carried upon one of the guide arms 84 andthereafter all of the strands are led directly to the guide means 4I-carried by one of the yoke arms 40. As each of the sector disc guides34, 34 is provided with a groove 94 about the periphery thereof, it isto be understood that the wires 33, 39 will be properly :,ceaasa guidedfrom the periphery of the wire spool 29 to the wire guide 4| without anytendency for the wires to become unstranded. From the above it is clearthat when the device is placed in operation and the capstan 64 draws thevarious strands of wire through the mechanism, each of the wire strandswill be placed under tension to the end that each of the secondary guidearms 85, 85 will be biased in a clockwise direction towards itsassociated guide arm 84. In other words, each of the secondary guidearms 85, 85 is so designed that the normal tension which occurs in eachof the wire strands 33, 33 is suilcient to deflect the arm out of itsnormal position. Therefore, whenever one of the wire strands 33 falls orjumps from its usual position on the spool 29, thereby providing anunusual sion within'such wire will have been reduced.

Thus, the present guiding device functions to place each one of the wirestrands under continuous tension thereby to exert a proper and lcontinuous control over each of the several i strands as the same aredelivered through the wire stranding apparatus. As hereinabove noted,the entire cap or guide assembly 35 is adapted to move relative to thespool 29 to the end tnat the wire strands 33,- 33 are laid one over theother. Therefore, by adjusting the nuts 9| and 82 longitudinally of -thestud 16 it will be clear that a greater or lesser force will be requiredto so shift the guide unit 35 relative to the spool.

Thus, by shifting the nuts 9| and 92 the tension within the wire strands33, 33 may be properly adjusted to suit the various requirements of a Inthis connection, the design of the present guiding and'tensioning unitis particularly advantageous for the reason that the adjustment of thenuts 9| and 92 need not be disturbed whenever the spool 29 is removedfrom and replaced upon the stranding apparatus for the reason that onlythe disc 19 need be turned in order to effect the removal andreplacement of the unit.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, there is disclosed a This second form of theguiding and with its disc 19 is adapted to be secured `to the spindle 29in the manner as hereinabove described in connection with the rst formof the device. This second form differs from the ilrst form primarily inthat the former utilizes no secondary guide arms and has providedthereon in lieu of these secondary guide arms three flexible guides 95,95 which function to accomplish substantially the same degree of controlover the wire strands as do the secondary arms 85, of the first device.More specifically, in lieu of the disc 83, the present device hasmounted between the ber friction washers 82 and 86 a pair of verticallyspaced disc members 96 and 91 secured together at their center portionsby means of a hollow cylindrical hub 98 which is slidably mounted uponthe middle portion of the stud 16. Circumferentially spaced between thediscs 98 and 91 are three cylindrical sleeve members 99, 99, the endportions of which are each adapted to be rigidly secured to a respectiveone of the discs. Surrounding each one of the sleeves 99, 99 is a coilspring |00 one end of which is adapted to be partially coiled about thestud 18 as at |0|. The outer end of each of the springs |00, |00,projects outwardly from the sleeve 99 thereby to form the gently curvedguide arm 95. Referring particularly to Fig. 6, the free end portion ofeach of the arms 95, is bent downwardly and has secured thereon a sectordisc guide 34. By thus bending the end portion of each of the arms 95downwardly it will permit the wire strands to be led directly to thesector disc guides without any interference from the top disc 3| of thespool 29.

With reference to Fig. 5, it is to be understood that by forming each ofthe arms 95,' 95 in a curve, a wire strand may exert a turning movementabout a sleeve 99 thereby to ex the arm about the sleeve member 99 soasto place each of the arms 95 under a substantially constant tensionduring the operation of the stranding machine. Each of the arms 95 isformed of spring wire material so that the normal wire tensionwill ilexeach arm to the dotted position, as disclosed in Fig. 5, whenever thestranding machine is operative. Therefore, whenever the machine isoperative each of the arms 95, 95 will be biased into the dottedposition shown in Fig. 5 to the end that these arms will act as take-updevices in the event that an unprecedented amount of slack occurs Withinany one of the wire strands. In other words, if one of the wire strandsshould fall out of position on the spool 29 during the wire straridingoperation, the arm 95, over which such wire strand is trained, will movetoward its normal position thereby immediately to take up any and all ofthe slack occurring in the wire.

A third form of wire guiding and tensioning device is disclosed in Figs.7, 8, 11, and 12. This third device is substantially like thehereinabove noted second form in that both of these devices utilizesingle flexible wire guiding and tensioning arms. However, this thirdform diiers primarily from the second form in that the former isprovided with a different type of anchoring means for each of the guidearms.

More specically, in the present third form of the device there ismounted about the stud 16 and between the fiber friction washers 82 and86 three dish-shaped discs bearing the numbers I 02, |03, and |04,respectively. Referring particularly to Figs. 11 and 12, the disc |02 isprovided about the periphery thereof with an upstanding wall por- 75tion |05 a section of which is slotted as at |08.

Formed centrally of the disc |02 is a cylindrical hub |01 having a bore|08 which is adapted to receive the stud 16. Each of the other discs |03and |04 is formed like disc |02 with the exception that neither of theformer has a hub |01 and in lieu thereof each of these discs is formedwith an aperture |09. Referring particularly to Fig. 8, it ls to beunderstood that the discs |03 and |04 are adapted to be suitably securedto and stacked upon the lower disc |02 so as to form one integral unit.Furthermore, by referring to Fig. 7, it will be apparent that the discsare so disposed relativeto each other that the slots |06, |06 thereofare positioned symmetrically out of phase.

Each of the discs |02, |03, and |04 has coiled therein an end portion ofa guide arm ||0, which end portion is adapted to be coiledspring-fashion` within the disc and to be rigidly secured therein byhaving its end portion bent downwardly thereby to be received within anaperture H2 formed within the inner portion of the disc member.Referring to Fig. 7, it is to be understood that the other end portionof each of the arms i0, i projects out of its associated disc throughthe slot |06 thereby to form a wire guide arm having a sector disc guide3d formed on the free end portion thereof. As in the case of the secondform of the present invention, each of the arms H0, ||0 is bentdownwardly thereby to prevent the wire strands from engaging the disc 3|of the spool member 29. Also, each one of the arms l0, |0 is bent into agentle curve thereby to enable its associated wire strand to exert aturning movement about the inner end of the arm to the end that the armmay be readily biased into the position shown by the dotted lines ofFig. '7. Each of the arms I0, ||0 is made flexible to the end that thenormal tension which is exerted upon each of the Wire strands issufficient to bias each of the arms into the dotted position, shown inFig. 7, so that this third form of the present invention will functionin substantially the same manner as the hereinabove described secondform to the end that a proper take-up-action will be provided for eachof the wire strands in the event that an excess amount of slack occurstherein. It is to be understood that each of the slots H16, |06 which isprovided within the discs |02, |03, and |00 are made of sufficientlength to enable each of the arms H0, ||0 to ilex through asubstantially large predetermined arc.

Each of the three hereinabove described guiding and tensioning unitsfunctions in a similar manner in that each is effective to place each ofthe wire strands which is drawn from the spools 29, 29 under asubstantially constant tension throughout the entire wire strandingprocess.

vAlso, each of these devices functions as a wire take-up unit so that-inthe event that an unprecedented amount of slack occurs in any one of thewires these devices would be immediately eiective to remove s'aid slackautomatically thereby to prevent the Wire from fouling the Wirestranding mechanism. In this connection it is to be understood that eachof these units may be provided with any reasonable number of guide armsthereby to adapt the same for use with wirecontaining spools having anypredetermined number of wire strands wound thereon. Furthermore, itshould be apparent that the present guiding and tensioning units may notonly be advantageously used in conjunction with wire stranding machinesof the above described type, but that they can be readily used on thattype of machine which Vcomprises a single wire-containing spool 10 whichis merely rotated about its longitudinal axis and is not mounted upon arotating ilier.

In the event that it is desired to lay the wire strands in helicalfashion about a central core the present machine is provided with meansto accomplish this objective. Referring to Fig. 1, the upper portion ofthe ier shaft 20 is provided with a slot ||3 in which is mounted a pin||4 upon which is rotatably carried a pulley l5. Communicating with theslot ||3 is an axial bore H6 formed in the upper end portion of theshaft 20. Thus, a group of wire strands ||1 may be trained about thepulley ||5 and thereafter directed through the bore ||6 and through theguide 62 to the capstan head 64. From this it will be apparent that theother wire groups, which are directed towards the guide 62 in acone-shaped pattern, will be wound about the core wires in a helicalfashion.

In order so to deliver the wires ||1 to the pulley H5 thewire-straightenerY head 45 is provided with a special Wire-straightenerstation ||8 which is disposed at an angle such that it is adapted toreceive strands ofwire directly from any one of the sheaves 46 andthereafter to deliver the same directly to the pulley H5.

I claim:

1. In a strand-twisting apparatus, the combination of a spindle, meansfor rotating said spindle, a strand package mounted upon said spindlefor rotation therewith and having a plurality of strands Woundthereabout, a strand-guiding head including a central hub disposedcoaxially of said spindle, said hub being frictionally supported uponsaid spindle, an even number of strand guide elements circumferentialiyspaced about said hub, means for rigidly securing one half of saidstrand guide elements to said hub, and means for flexibly securing theother half of said strand guide elements to said hub, each of saidstrands passing successively through one of said exibly mounted strandguide elements and a respective one of said rigidly mounted strand guideelements.

2. In a strand-twisting apparatus, the combination of a spindle, meansfor rotating said spindle, a strand package mounted upon said spindlefor rotation therewith and having a plurality of strands Woundthereabout, a support member removably secured upon said spindle forrotation therewith, a strand-guiding head including a central hubfrictionally mounted upon said support member, means for adjusting thefriction force between said support member and said hub, a plurality ofalternately spaced rigid and ilexible arms projecting outwardly from theperiphery of said hub, and a strand guide carried at the outer endportion of each of said arms, each of said strands passing successivelythrough a re-A spective one of said flexibly mounted strand guides and arespective one of said rigidly mounted strand guides.

3. In a strand-twisting apparatus, having a plum the strands carried bya respective one of said strand packages thereby to apply asubstantially constant tension upon each of said strands and to removeany and all slack occurring in any of said strands, said strand-guidinghead including 5 a central hub having a plurality of strand guidesiiexibly mounted thereon. OTHO L. GIFF'IN.

amm-:Nens crm-:n

The following references are oi' record in the ille ot this patent: v

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number (Addition to No. 733,756)

France Dec. 18, 1911

